Toroidal coil winding mechanism



Oct. 30, 1962 K. P. GORMAN TOROIDAL COIL WINDING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1958 Oct. 30, 1962 K. P. GORMAN 3,061,213

TOROIDAL COIL WINDING MECHANISM Filed March 4, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

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Oct. 30, 1962 K. P. GORMAN 3,061,213

TOROIDAL COIL WINDING MECHANISM Filed March 4, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 30, 1962 K. P. GORMAN TOROIDAL COIL WINDING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 4, 1958 Oct. 30, 1962 K. P. GORMAN TOROIDAL con. WINDING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 4, 1958 United States Patent Ofifiee 3,061,213 TOROIDAL COIL WINDING MECHANISM Kenneth P. German, German Machine Co., 480 S. Main St... Randolph, Mass. Filed Mar. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 719,127 9 Ciaims. (Cl. 242-4) The present invention relates to an improved construction in toroidal coil winding and more particularly to an improved means for feeding wire onto a toroidal core.

In the art of toroidal winding machinery, it is desirous to provide toroidal coil winding machines having a substantial degree of adaptability which permits the use of a single machine for winding the wide range of sizes of toroidal cores.

In addition, precise control over the winding of a particular core is often desired.

It is an object of the present invention to accomplish these objectives to a greater degree than heretofore possible and in a construction which is relatively simple, rugged and certain of operation in an efficient manner.

These as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the invention, looking slightly upwardly;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan View of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the invention looking from the right of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side View of the invention, looking from the left of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the invention as shown in FIGURE 3 with portions removed;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary detail of the invention, and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

The invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing is adapted to be used with and forms a portion of a toroidal coil winding machine. The other portions of the machine include, principally, drive means for the present invention and support means for the toroidal core which is to be wound as well as the desired number of accessories including a counter, a speed control for the operation of the present invention at desired speed as well as means for suitably rotating the toroidal core to be wound on its supporting element.

For purposes of clarity in understanding the construction and operation of the present device, the side to the left in FIGURE 3 shall be considered the front, and to the right of FIGURE 3 the rear of the present invention. Normally this unit is supported on a casing which forms the major support for the entire toroidal coil winding machine with the surface 1 of the bottom wall of the housing block 2 being secured by suitable means, such as screws, to a horizontal portion of the casing. This housing block 2 comprises essentially a solid metal unit having side Walls 3 and 4, rear and front walls 5 and 6, respectively, and a bottom wall 7 including three sections or surfaces angular to one another indicated at 1, 8 and 9.

Four shafts 10, 11, 12 and 13 extend through the block 2 with two of them, 10 and 11, journalled for rotation in fixed bearings in the block 2. The other two shafts, 12 and 13, are journalled for rotation in bearings eccentrically mounted in shafts 33 and 34, respectively, of substantially greater diameter. Shafts 33 and 34 in turn have mounted on them intermeshed cam gears 18 and 19, respectively, which fit within adjacent cylindrical recesses in the housing block 2 and which are adapted for interengaging rotation over a limited arc. Supported on the shafts 10, 11, 12 and 13 are the pulleys 15, 16, 14 and 17,

3,051,213 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 respectively, each preferably of equal diameter and fixed to rotate with their respective shafts.

A pulley 20 of greater diameter than the pulleys 14, 15, 16 and 17 and having a plurality of grooves 21 is mounted on a shaft 22 in turn suitably journalled in the housing block 2. The outer end of the pulley 20 may be provided with a knurled handle 23 adapted to permit hand rotation of the pulley 20. An endless resilient belt 24 extends continuously about the outside of pulleys 14, 15, 16 and 17 with the portion of the belt 24 between pulleys 14 and 17 on the inside of another pulley (not shown) mounted on shaft 22 and in the same plane as and of the same diameter as pulleys 14, 15, 16 and 17. The resilience of the belt is such as to provide a frictional engagement between these five mentioned pulleys whereby rotation of the drive pulley 20 will be translated to the pulleys 14, 15, 16 and 17 so as to cause them all to rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation of the pulley 20. This frictional engagement, however, is maintained only when the pulleys 14 and 17 are in their normal operating position which is the position illustrated in FIGURE 4, for example. On rotation of the cam gears 18 and 19, the tension provided by the endless resilient belt 24 may be removed permitting operative disengagement of the pul ey 20 from the other pulleys.

Positioned on the other side 3 of the housing block 2 (FIGURE 5) are four driving rolls 25, 26, 27 and 28. Driving rolls 25 and 26 are rigidly fixed to the ends of the shafts 10 and 11 respectively which project outwardly beyond the side Wall 3. Collar members 29 and 30 (see FIGURE 1) are interposed between the driving rolls 25 and 26, respectively, and the wall 3 with the collar members 29 and 30 coaxial with the shafts 10 and 11, respectively. Driving rolls 27 and 28 are rigidly mounted on shafts 12 and 13, respectively. Shafts 12 and 13 in turn, as previously indicated, are mounted for eccentric movement in the shafts 33 and 34, respectively. Driving rolls 27 and 28 are also spaced from the side walls 3 a distance the width of collars 29 and 30 by collars 31 and 32. These four driving rolls 25, 26, 27 and 28 are adapted to engage the inner surface of an annular shuttle 35 of the type illustrated in US. Letters Patent No. 2,793,818 issued on May 28, 1957, to W. W. Clarke et al., which is formed with a U-shaped cross section. The position of the shuttle relative to the driving rollers is shown by the dotted lines 36 in FIGURE 5 for normal operation.

A detail of one of the driving rollers, for example roller 27, is illustrated in FIGURE 6. In this arrangement the roller 27 is formed with beveled rims 101 terminating in annular grooves 102. These grooves 102 are of suflicient depth to receive and seat the O-rin gs 103, the outer portions of which are substantially aligned with the peripheral edges 104 of grooves 102. This arrangement is such that when the driving roller engages shuttle 36, the inner portions of the shuttle will be engaged by the O-ring 103 and edge 104. The different widths of grooves 102 permit reversal of the driving roller on the shaft 12 for the purpose of accommodating different sized shuttles. The driving rollers, preferably of nylon, are secured in position by means of a set screw 105. As further illustrated in FIG. 7, the elastic friction engaging O-rings, 103 are fitted into recessed annular channels to provide a friction drive surface adapted to engage the shuttle.

A control lever 37, having a sleeve, is formed with a cylindrical opening adapted to fit closely about the collar 31 with a slot 39 extending outwardly through the sleeve 39 from this collar. A screw 38 passes through adjacent walls of the sleeve 39' for the purpose of adjustably securing the control lever 37 in any selected radial position on the collar 31. Normally this control lever projects angularly upward toward the front of the device. For convenience a knobbed handle is provided at the end of the lever. A finely threaded shaft 41 having a handle 42 at its upper end is threaded through an opening in the control lever. The lower end of this shaft 41 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 43 and bulbous tip 44. This bulbous tip 44 is adapted to project between the spaced and symmetrical side walls 45 (FIGURE 1) of the engaging clip 46. This engaging clip 46 is preferably formed of a single piece of resilient metal and provides opposite side walls 45 forming engaging arms slightly tapered at their upper ends and terminating at their upper ends in outwardly flared flanges indicated at 47. These flanges 47 are adapted to engage the under surface of the flange 43 when the control lever 37 is brought downwardly to a point at which the bulbous tip 44 penetrates between the side walls 45 and is secured thereby. The engaging clip is adjustably secured to the wall 3 of the housing block 2 by suitable means such as a screw 48.

The arrangement as described to this point provides a means by which, not only may the shuttle be readily engaged and disengaged from the driving rolls but also the degree of drive power supplied through the pulleys may be critically controlled. By raising and lowering the control lever 37, the pulleys 14 and 17 may be moved parallel toward and away from the pulleys 15 and 16, thereby increasing or decreasing the tension on the drive belt 7 and consequently controlling the drive supplied to the driving rolls. If, therefore, the control lever 37 is moved upwardly to its full extent, the driving rolls will be entirely operatively disengaged from the shuttle 35. A coarse adjustment for adapting the rollers to different diametered shuttles may readily be obtained by adjusting the radial position of the lever 37 with respect to the collar 31. Fine control for precisely controlling the amount of power supplied is readily obtained by rotation of the threaded shaft 41. This particular coarse adjustment and fine power control is of some importance where shuttles of different sizes are in use. It should also be noted that the four driving rolls are always symmetrical with respect to one another regardless of the particular tension or drive force being supplied, even though only two of these driving rolls are adjustable, thus assuring a uniform degree of power Supplied from the driving rolls and uniform frictional engagement from each driving roll to the annular shuttle 35.

The annular shuttle 35 is conventionally a split-ring unit on which wire of selected length and size is wound after the toroidal core, to which the wire is to be transferred, is interlinked with the shuttle. The toroidal core is normally located in a position indicated at 49 (FIG- URE 3). Because of this, it is desirous to have the shuttle readily removable from the machine for replacement with other shuttles. Under such circumstances, the shuttles may be prewound to facilitate substitution, and speed the winding operation. As the driving rolls 27 and 28 are readily disengaged from the shuttle 35 and are also simultaneously disengaged from the power source, re moval of the shuttle is readily accomplished. Removal of the shuttle 35 incidentally facilitates the removal and insertions of cores upon it.

In order to facilitate the removal of the shuttle, a guiding plate 50 (FIGURE 3) of particular design is provided. This guiding plate 50 is adjustably secured parallel to the wall 3 on a supporting arm 51. The supporting arm 51 (FIGURE 5) is formed of two parallel offset legs 52 and 53 interconnected by a leg 54. Screws 55 project through oversized holes to permit adjustment of the arm 51 into the housing block 2. The guiding plate 50 is formed with a reenforced thickened portion 56 (FIGURE 2) on its face towards the wall 3 of the housing block 2, with a shaft 57 extending therefrom. This shaft 57 is adjustably secured within the opening 58 (see FIGURE 5) by means of the set screw 59. The plate itself is formed with a polished surface over which who may readily slide. The edges of the plate from a point 60 to a point 61 are substantially coextensive with the arc of the annular shuttle 35, with the edges of the plate between these two points being turned slightly toward the edge of the shuttle. From the point 61 to the point 62, just above the position of the toroidal core being wound, the plate is cut short of the arc of the shuttle 35 along an arcuate line 63 of greater diameter than the arc of the shuttle. At point 62, the Plate and shuttle are substantially contiguous. Between point 62 and point 60 the plate 50 is also recessed from the arc of the shuttle 35, also along substantially an arcuate sector of greater radius than the arcuate sector of the shuttle 35 with, however, a sharply recessed portion 64 directly opposite the point of location of the core indicated at position 49. This recess is provided to accommodate the thickness of the core itself. Inasmuch as cores of different sizes are used, a triangular segment indicated at 65 which forms a removable portion of the plate is provided. This removable triangular segment is rigidly secured to the main portion of the plate 50 by suitable means such as an overlapping flange extending over the surface of the plate 50 on the side toward the wall 3, which flange may be secured by screws or other suitable means to the block 56. This triangular segment is removable when cores of greater diameter are used. The plate 56) is substantially parallel with the plane of the annular shuttle 35 but is slightly spaced to the right of the shuttle as indicated in FIGURE 2. The recessed edge between points 62 and 60 is beveled toward the plane of the shuttle, as indicated in FIGURE 3. This particular arrangement and particularly the provision of the recessed portions between points 61 and 62 facilitate the removal of the shuttle and its remounting on the driving roll. There is also provided an opening or hole 66 at the rear of the plate 50 to facilitate the picking off of Wire leads While the core is being wound.

Extending rearwardly from the housing block 2 is a rod 67 which has adjustably mounted on it a universal locking member 68. This locking member may comprise a block having cylindrical opening through which the rod 67 passes with a slot extending from this opening to one edge, as indicated at 69. A second rod 70 also projects through a cylindrical opening in the locking member 68 normal to the rod 67. A slot 71 extends from this opening in which the rod 70 is positioned to an edge. The rods 67 and 70 are adjustably secured by means of a clamping screw 72 which may be adjusted to tighten or loosen the rods in the locking member 68.

A mounting block 73 is permanently fixed to the end of rod 70 by means of a set screw (not shown). This mounting block rigidly supports a shaft 75 which extends upwardly and has secured to it at its upper end the knob 76. Also pivotally mounted on the shaft 75 is a block 77 at a position just below the knob 76. A helical spring 78 is keyed at one end to the shaft 75 and is secured by a screw 79 to the upper surface of the block 77. This spring adjustably tensions the block 77 to pivot in a clockwise position as viewed in FIGURE 2. The particular degree of tension may be controlled by loosening the clamping screw 74 and rotating the knob 76 to tighten or loosen the helical spring 78. A control arm 80, having a knob 81 at the end thereof, is secured to the block 77. Also secured at the block 77 at right angles to the arm is a contact arm 82 which is preferably made of a transparent plastic material. This arm may be secured by any suitable means such as a reenforcing plate 83 having a plurality of screws 84 passing therethrough. An arcuate recess portion 85 is provided intermediate the ends of the arm 82 in a position coincident with the opening or hole 66 when the contact arm 82 is closed towards the plate 50. The free end of the arm 82 is tapered toward a blunted point. This tapered blunted point indicated at 86 (FIGURE 3) should be positioned by adjusting either or both of the locking members 68 or mounting block 73 so that it is closely adjacent the toroidal core which is being wound. The inner surface of the arm 82 is provided with a resilient material preferably fabric and particularly mohair fabric as indicated at 87 (FIGURE 2). This fabric material 87 extends from the recess portion 85 to the tip of the arm 82 and when the arm 82 is in its closed position against the plate 50, it is adapted to contact the plate 51). A conductive wire 88 of resilient material projects through an opening 89 in the arm 82 and through a concentric opening in the fabric material 87. This wire projects normally a short distance beyond the surface of the fabric material 87 and when the arm 82 is in a closed position is adapted to contact the conductive plate 59. The other end of the wire 88 is secured to a terminal member 96 which may comprise a screw threaded into the insulated transparent portion of the arm 82. Another conductive insulated lead may be secured in series from this terminal member 90 to an electrical counter device so arranged that when a wire is dropped from the annular shuttle 35 and passes between the plate 56 and arm 82, it will actuate the counter as it passes between the end of wire E58 and the plate 5%. This movement momentarily forces the wire 88 from contact with the plate 50, thereby opening an electrical circuit which may in part comprise the plate 50 and the wire 88. This action may be utilized for the purpose of actuating an electrical counter.

In order to secure the arm 80 in an open position while replacing the shuttle 35 or for any other desired purpose, a magnet 91 suitably mounted in a housing may be adjustably secured by means of a joint 92 to the end of the rod 67.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a toroidal core winding machine, a plurality of parallel shafts, a drive roller at one end and a pulley at the other end of each of said shafts, means mounting one of said shafts in a fixed position, means mounting the others, at least two in number, of said shafts for uniform movement toward and away from said fixed shaft including rotatable interengaging gears each eccentrically mounting one of said other shafts whereby said pulleys and said rollers respectively may be simultaneously moved relative to one another, and means for driving said pulleys in the same direction.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, a control lever, means adjustably securing said lever to one of said gears for rotation thereof for movement thereby of said other shafts toward and away from said fixed shaft, said lever having means providing a bulbous tip and a flange adjacent thereto at one end, and an engaging clip secured to said mounting means providing two opposite resilient walls adapted to releasably engage said tip and act as an engaging stop with said flange whereby said lever may be secured in a selected position.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bulbous tip is mounted on a shaft threaded substantially normally through said control lever.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for driving said pulleys comprises an endless belt frictionally engageable with said pulleys and means including a drive pulley for driving said belt,

5. In a toroidal coil winding machine a drive mechanism adapted for use with an annular shuttle comprising a plurality of driving rollers adapted to frictionally engage said shuttle, a plurality of parallel shafts each axially mounting one of said rollers, a pulley mounted on each shaft, means mounting a pair of said shafts for symmetrical uniform movement with respect to an intermediate plane toward and away from the other of said shafts, a driving shaft and driving pulley and an endless belt operatively interconnecting said pulleys.

6. In a toroidal coil winding machine a drive mechanism adapted for use with an annular shuttle comprising four driving rollers each adapted to frictionally engage said shuttle, four parallel shafts each axially mount ing one of said rollers, a pulley mounted on each shaft, means eccentrically mounting a pair of said shafts in parallel adjacent relationship, intermeshed cam gears fixed to said last mentioned means whereby rotation of said cam gears will cause said pair of shafts to move symmetrically toward and away from the other of said shafts, a driving shaft and driving pulley and an endless belt operatively interconnecting said pulleys.

7. In a toroidal coil winding machine a drive mechanism adapted for use with an annular shuttle comprising four parallel shafts radially arranged about a center axis, a roller and a pulley mounted on each shaft with said rollers adapted to frictionally engage said shuttle, means mounting an adjacent pair of said shafts for movement toward and away from the other of said shafts, a fifth shaft mounting a driving pulley between said four paral lel shafts, and an endless belt engaging all of said pulleys for rotation of said rollers in the same direction.

8. in a toroidal coil winding machine, an annular shuttle having annular sidewalls interconnected by a bight section and forming a U-shaped cross section, a driving roller adapted to frictionally engage said shuttle member having an annular channel formed therein with one sidewall thereof adapted to engage a sidewall of said shuttle, an O-ring positioned in said channel and having a curved surface frictionally engaging and pressing against the other of said sidewalls of said shuttle whereby said O-ring presses said shuttle toward said one side wall, and means for tensioning said driving roller outwardly from the axis of said annular shuttle.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said driving roller is formed of nylon and said O-ring is of resilient material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,792,733 De Wein Feb. 17, 1931 2,171,119 Belits Aug. 29, 1939 2,176,335 Gray Oct. 17, 1939 2,554,493 Heizer May 29, 1951 2,704,637 Redlich Mar. 22, 1955 2,763,441 Frederick Sept. 18, 1956 2,793,818 Clarke et al. May 28, 1957 2,843,336 Herbst July 15, 1958 

